Only Gone For The Moment
by Bluetech
Summary: Soren's starsight yields him a vision heavy with dread, sadness, and loss. He believes the dream veils a tragedy involving someone very close to him. In the wake of this tragedy, he finds courage and hope... Please review, and thank you.
1. A Strategy For Destruction

**A/N:**

**Yay! This is my first fanfic. I hope you will enjoy it and the many others I plan to write in the future.**

**A perfect song to listen to while reading is Lucy by Skillet. I used this song as a basis for my story.**

**Also, please send me reviews, fellow authors. Don't worry, you can be honest!**

****Disclaimer**: I own nothing of the beautiful and creative ideas I borrowed and adapted from Kathryn Lasky's Guardians Of Ga'Hoole series.**

**I created Jonas, Theodor, and Lydia just for this story, and they may reappear in my later works.**

**I do however own all 15 books in print and on my lovely Kindle :)**

**See you on my next story! Wolf Out.**

* * *

**Chapter 1:A Strategy For Destruction**

It was the night before the eclipse, the very night that Coryn was hatched, and the very night his satanic mother, Nyra, was hatched as well. Being born under the rust tinted orb led to an enchantment being cast on the newborn owl, which could either be good or evil.

She was the recipient of the negative side of that curse, and had envisioned to lead her son on the same errant path. But, against all odds, the young Tyto had fled from the Pure Ones, retrieved the Ember Of Hoole, and had become the new King of the Great Tree.

A few seasons before, the Guardians had chased the blue Snowy Owl from the Great Tree after his attempt to burn owls on Balefire Night and capture the Ember.

He and the Pure Ones had laid dormant for sometime after that horrible event. However, the crazed blue owl and his followers teamed up with the Pure Ones in the Northern Kingdoms and began planning the means to rule the owl world with the capture of the Ember and the destruction of Ga'Hoole.

As soon as The Guardians had learned of Nyra and The Striga's plan to bring hagsfiends and nachtmagen back into the world, they had enlisted the aid of all creatures willing to help them fight the coming atrocity, from both the Northern and Southern Kingdoms.

Coryn had dubbed it The War Of The Ember.

The Guardians were stationed in Beyond The Beyond, awaiting their reinforcements and tracking the Pure Ones movement, since the location of their secret hideout had been reported to be in the Desert Of Kuneer by Tavis and Cletus, the long lost brothers of Twilight.

A Burrowing Owl named Tarn had overseen the construction of the extensive network of burrows beneath the barren landscape, which was used as a place for the Pure Ones to hide their increasing numbers in preparation for their attack on the Guardians.

The Band had started rumors that the Ember was in The Beyond, and Nyra knew this was to her advantage if they proved true, since the newly hatched hagsfiends would be fighting inland, away from the deadly salt water that soaked their ragged feathers and drowned them.

However, Nyra did not possess knowledge that a slink melf of dire wolves had been dispatched to destroy the sparkling violet eggs being incubated in the Ice Talons that were on the brink of hatching.

As the Guardians waited for their allies to arrive, Soren and The King were planning a strategy to kill both Nyra and The Striga using a bonk ember. Operation Death Lure was its name, and it came together in a small cave illuminated by flares of glowing red light from the erupting volcanoes.

The King addressed his uncle.

"Soren, I have conjured up a plan to put an end to my mother and that treacherous blue owl. I call it Operation Death Lure."

"How will it work, Coryn? Is it risky?" replied Soren.

The King responded, "I will secretly return the Ember to the volcano I retrieved it from after The Guardians have engaged the Pure Ones. Then I will retrieve a bonk coal and coax those two horrid owls into the crater of the southernmost volcano. We must make sure that they are put into an indefensible position. There must be NO escape for them. It MUST end there."

Soren need not receive an answer to his second question. He felt it in his gizzard it would be a treacherous maneuver. The raking updrafts caused by the red hot lava below would make for nasty flying conditions, let alone having to engage the two most lethal and unforgiving owls alive, over that roiling pool.

He and his nephew both found slight relief in the thought that echoed in their brains simultaneously.

_If the ember will be the instrument through which these two owls met their deaths, then it will be worth all the grief it has caused..._


	2. Blue Bleeds Into Red

**Chapter 2:Blue Bleeds Into Red**

As the two Barn Owls finished their discussion in the dimly lit cave, the small sliver of sky that could be glimpsed from the opening was tinted azure and laced with streaks of soft peach.

The owl marred by an oblique line slashing his face spoke first.

"Well Uncle, it seems as if our little chat has taken us through the night and into the dawn."

The other owl answered his nephew.

"Indeed it has. But it was necessary if we are to prepare for what we must do after the sun has set."

The scarred owl spoke again, his voice laced with fear and apprehension.

"You are right, Soren. But now it is time for you to rest if you are to prepare. I shall see you when you awake at First Black."

"What about you?"

"Do not worry about me. I shall soon drift off to sleep as well."

"Very well. I shall see you again at First Black."

The soot-stained owl walked toward the mouth of the cave, and as he lifted off, the rising sun behind him set his wings aglow like sunlight kissing the Sea Of Hoolemere.

Soren flew a short way to the east of Coryn's cave to a similar, although smaller one that he shared with Pelli.

He lighted down and saw her nestled in a corner, eyes shut, chest rising peacefully. He felt a heavy fear stir in his gizzard, one that surfaced when he thought of his nephew, his fellow Guardians, and his lovely mate sleeping before him.

He thought of the many things that could be lost, compared to all that could be gained.

_Why has it come to this? Will the countless sacrifices that we and these noble creatures have made be enough? I shall send many prayers to Glaux that we will triumph, and that most of us will return home…_

These were the thoughts that had been thundering in Soren's head since his chat with Coryn.

Bell, Blythe, and Bash had been left back at the Tree in Mrs. Plithiver's care. Their parents had told them that they were going to fight some very horrible owls, and that they should not fear for them, but instead to pray for their return.

It had been hard on both to leave them behind, even though they knew it was the only choice they had.

As Soren crept toward his nest in the corner, composed of a bit of moss from Ambala and some smooth twigs, his foot struck a pebble lying on the dusty cave floor.

It skipped across the hard packed earth and clinked against the wall.

Pelli awoke and muttered groggily, "Who's there?"

She slowly opened her eyes and saw a blurred shape before her.

"Its just me, dear. I didn't mean to wake you." Soren replied quietly.

"Where were you? Its past twixt time and you are just now going to sleep?"

He could discern that his mate was not angry, but merely concerned about him.

"I was busy talking with Coryn all night, and I'm exhausted, that's all."

Her mate gave a slight churr as he said this.

Pelli saw a trace of something lingering in his eyes.

"What is the matter, Soren?"

He had expected this question, but he had not been prepared to betray his worry to her. Still, he felt he should obey his gizzard and tell her.

"I am just so worried about tonight." he replied, "Worried about the safety of The Guardians, our allies, and you…" Soren's voice trailed off.

"So am I dear, but we must do our best to protect each other. It is part of the Oath of the Guardians."

"Yes, you are right. I will do all I can to rid the world of this tyranny. Now let us sleep. We both need our rest."

Pelli watched as her mate settled into his nest and drifted off into sleep.

The last words he heard before falling into the black resounded softly in his head: "It will all turn out right, dear. Don't worry..."

* * *

Soren was flying through a sky split by towers of fire, and he felt the gusts buffet him this way and that. The edges of the his vision were blurred, as if marking some impassable boundary, a space not to be seen.

He flew on and spied a small group of winged figures far ahead. He tried to fly closer to identify what the forms were, but they merely grew smaller, as if they were receding at the same rate that he approached.

All that could be made out that one was ashen hued and somewhat large, the second was white with dark eyes, and the last was quite small, streaked with earthy brown and pale feathers all over.

Suddenly, a bright flash of blue split Soren's vision. The blue took a pointed shape, riddled with small marks on its surface.

Then, the blue shape shifted to a deep red, and flowed downward like a collection of tiny rivers.

Soren hovered and saw the red streaks emanating from the white owl as it plummeted to the earth below.

Several words from fragmented sentences, fraught with panic and desperation, resounded in his head: "Accident...Didn't know...Ice...So sorry...Dying..."

The last words were drowned out as Soren felt his body speed up. The ground rushed towards him, and his vision suddenly went black.

* * *

Pelli was jolted awake by the shrill scream that pealed from the other side of the cave.

"ICE! DYING! HELP! NO! PLEASE NO!"

Pelli glided to her trembling mate and shook him with her wings.

"Soren, wake up! She pleaded. Wake up!"

The screaming stopped and Soren gazed wearily at his mate as the fog cleared from his eyes.

"My starsight. It felt so real. I felt hopeless..." he choked out.

"What was it dear? Are you okay?"

Pelli saw the terror churning in his black orbs.

"I can't remember. I fear something is going to happen, Pelli."

They both knew that the meaning would elude him until the events he witnessed would transpire in the real world.

"Try to sleep, Soren. Maybe what you saw was just a meaningless dream."

Soren knew that his starsight was not normal, as well as whatever it yielded to him that had caused him to wake in terror countless times before.

_No,_ He thought, as he settled back into a disturbed sleep. _Far from normal. And I often wish all that I experienced in my sleep was forbidden from becoming reality..._


	3. Tragedy Beneath A Red Moon

**Chapter 3:Tragedy Beneath A Red Moon**

Coryn had awoken before the sun completely slid below the western horizon. However, it was not a natural rise from the depths of sleep. A messenger had arrived with news from the relay owl posted on the west side of Kuneer, along with another that had just reported from the Ice Talons.

"What news do you bring, Jonas?"

The small Whiskered Screech stood up taller and spoke.

"Our Kuneer relay owl has reported that the Pure Ones, along with the blue owls led by The Striga, have left the desert and are now traversing the canyon lands in a northwest direction, sir. Our Ice Talons owl had previously met up with the slink melf and confirmed that the hagsfiend eggs, along with their nest sitters, were destroyed. Lastly, our allies from the Northern and Southern Kingdoms have arrived and are awaiting your command."

"Very well. The news of the egg destruction is somewhat relieving..."

Coryn's gizzard was still heavy with dread.

"We must alert our forces and form up immediately. Spread the word for our soldiers to meet at the base of the Hot Gates."

"Yes sir. Right away."

As the owl turned to leave, Coryn stopped him.

"One more thing, Jonas."

"Anything, sir."

The king continued, "Your service is much valued, and I pray you make it through the coming fight. And Glauxspeed, friend."

"I hope the same for all of us. And thank you, sir."

He flew off like a rocket into the black of night pierced by red flashes of light.

The allies the Guardians had sought out the weeks before their arrival in the Beyond had arrived late that day, a few hours before Coryn was awakened. He flew to the eastern spire of the Hot Gates, and was met by the Chaw Of Chaws perched there as he lighted down.

Coryn cleared his throat and belted out a speech about how all of them have come to fight for a noble cause. He also reminded them that they must not fear death, but instead convert that fear into courage, so that one day they could tell their children and grandchildren how they fought alongside the noble Guardians Of Ga'Hoole in the face of an ancient horror.

As Coryn finished, cheers, roars, howls, and squawks arose from the sea of animals below. He glanced at the owls perched near him.

They smiled back, but he knew they all felt the same emotions that left his gizzard in turmoil: fear, dread, hope, strength, and pride.

The Moon was hanging low in the east section of the sky, its silver surface darkening to a black as deep as a Barn Owl's eyes, which soon faded to a dusty red.

_The eclipse has arrived. Will we be able to end this conflict and put an end to my mother on the very same day she came into being?_

The cheering abruptly stopped as a deep, pulsing sound issued from the east. It was the sound of a vast armada of owls pumping the air with countless wings. And this armada was coming straight for them...

The night sky was light up with the trails from a storm of embers that rained down upon the approaching sea of owls. The herding of the owls by the dire wolves increased the lethality of the hot rain.

Scores of flaming bodies were plummeting along with the embers. Mighty polar bears swatted the remaining owls that escaped with boulder sized paws.

The Chaw Of Chaws lifted off to engage the survivors of the firestorm and bear attacks.

Meanwhile, Coryn had returned to his cave and quickly snatched up the Ember Of Hoole from the niche he had placed it in a few days before. He carried it in his port talon and flew straight for Hrath'ghar, the volcano that had yielded the Ember so many seasons before.

He silently hovered over the scalding pool and spread his talon. The ember fell and sank into the lava pool with a sigh.

He then swooped down and grasped a glowing coal in a pile at the foot of the mountain. He rose and to his horror saw Nyra flying at him, followed by The Striga. He gave Nyra ample time to see what he held in his talon, then flew up and over the rim of the volcano and down inside. Soren flew in next to him. He knew Death Lure had begun.

Soren held an ice sword in his talons , but had an ice splinter hidden under his right wing as well. He saw Coryn slowly glide toward Nyra with his foot extended.

Soren shouted, "That is a fake ember!"

Nyra's face swam with confusion and in that instant, Soren launched his splinter. It struck her in the neck, and as blood seeped down her chest, she stilled and a plume of lava cascaded over her and dragged her down.

The Striga, now outnumbered, turned and flew out of the crater.

Coryn followed madly and as they exited the crater, Soren saw his nephew bleeding from the right wing joint.

Soren then saw a smirk on The Striga's face as he charged him.

Soren extended his sword and sliced off the blue owls head with one smooth swing.

He then dove after Coryn and saw that he had hit the ground and been killed. Near him lay a distorted tawny wing. The world fell silent for him.

He did not know or care if the war was still raging. A small owl landed next to him.

"The Pure Ones have been routed. Where is the king?"

The owl next to Soren wilfed as he saw the disfigured body of Coryn.

"The king is dead..." Soren said slowly.

After Soren had watched his nephew's body being removed, Martin the Saw Whet landed next to Soren. He was sobbing as he tried to speak. His voice was heavy with panic and desperation.

Soren shook the tiny owl and asked him loudly, "What in Glaux's name is wrong, Martin?"

He managed to choke out the words: "Ice.. dying... need help... not much time..."

Soren felt his reality shatter before him as the dream rushed back to him with the force of a tsunami.

Martin had regained his composure slightly and was yelling at Soren to follow him.

The rest of the Band landed then and asked Martin what happened.

They immediately wilfed as he explained, his words drenched in remorse, but they soon came to and began imitating Martin.

Gylfie's best friend simply stood there, eyes staring, thin as a fir sapling, wings drooping to the ground. Soren had to be carried by Twilight to the site where the accident had happened.

The shock of what Soren saw was enough to bring him out of his yeep state, and the tears began to cascade from the midnight spheres of the Barn Owl's eyes.


	4. Another Soul Departs

**Chapter 4:Another Soul Departs**

Through the haze of tears, Soren's eyes were locked upon his mate lying on the ground, her tawny feathers illuminated by the glow of the volcanoes.

"No," He pleaded, with all his being, "Glaux no. Please no!"

Pelli was resting upon her left wing, which was shadowed by her crooked right one.

She gazed at him and managed to utter the words: "You were right, Soren. Your dream did have meaning. Though I didn't expect this..."

Pelli stopped talking and heaved a ragged breath.

Soren swiveled his head painfully towards Martin and in a seething voice demanded, "What happened to my mate? Who did this to her?"

Martin flinched and began to speak slowly.

"I was chasing a trio of Pure Ones along with Ruby and Otulissa."

He gave a slight pause, then continued, "Otulissa had slashed a Barn Owl out of the sky, and Ruby chased another Masked as he fled. The last one, a Sooty Owl, faced me, and I noticed a white blur high above him. I had to act fast. I launched my ice splinter, aiming for his neck, and then all I recall was a scream of pain, and seeing a feathery mass fall to the earth. I assumed I had struck him..."

Martin's voice dwindled away.

Soren turned back to Pelli and felt horror consume him as he saw that she had rolled onto her back, wings crumpled at her sides. A tiny glimmering point flashed from the left side of her chest, encircled by a growing stain of red.

He then understood with gizzard chilling horror the mishap that had recently unfolded.

Pelli had spied the lone owl facing off Martin, and began a fast plunge as he launched the sliver of ice. The force of her dive had knocked the Pure One unconscious.

He fell, and Pelli was hit instead.

She had cried out as a burning sensation radiated over her body, and dropped from the sky. It was no one's fault, and yet so unfair, Soren realized painfully.

Regardless, this thought did not ease the sense of loss burning in his gizzard.

Pelli spoke once more to her mate, as blood ran down her wing feathers like tiny rivers, and pooled on the ground.

"Do not worry Soren, none of this was Martin's fault. It was predestined. I shall be free of my broken body here, and wait for you, my dear, in Glaumora."

"But I cant bear for you to leave me. What shall I tell our daughters?"

He could hardly speak.

"Tell them that their mum has gone to a better place, and that she was ready to leave, having bravely upheld and defended the Oath..."

Pelli felt herself grow weightless and rise toward the obsidian sky, free of pain, while her spirit remained laden with sorrow for her mate.

The five owls watched with heavy hearts as the Barn Owl's blood streaked chest rose and fell once, then ceased to move. A pale shape floated into the night, coursing along unaffected by the slight wind that blew through the others feathers, and sailed to the stars.

The four owls next to him lifted off, and with a sorrowful glance downward, headed home.

The last owl remained on the ground, folding his wings around the still body of the female.

One last thought echoed in his head: _In Glaumora, my lovely Pelli,we shall meet again. I shall hold out hope of seeing you in a few years, when my time will arrive as well. But until then I swear to Glaux to do my best for our daughters, the Guardians, and most of all,the entirety of owl kind..._


	5. A Hopeful King

**Chapter 5:A Hopeful King**

Back at the Great Ga'Hoole Tree, a large throng of owls was gathered on the west side of the island, circling two small but steadily burning fires beneath the brightening sky.

Soren was now the new King Of Ga'Hoole, but having to meet the responsibilities it carried on his own, without Pelli, was going to be hard for him.

In the fires of their Final Ceremonies lay the bodies of his mate and his nephew.

As the fires finally consumed the lifeless forms upon the pyre and snuffed themselves out, Soren flew with his daughters back to their hollow.

He had to explain to the Three B's that their Mum had fought well, but had been taken to Glaumora.

"Why, Da?" asked Bell sadly.

"Where is she?" asked Blythe and Bash, crying in the same tone as their sister. Soren needed to tell them now, so he wouldn't fall into a case of the gollymopes later.

"Your Mum had an... accident. I saw it in a starsight dream the day before. But I never could have guessed it was her in the dream..."

"Why didn't you save her, Da? Why weren't you with her?" replied the Three Bs, their small voices mixed with frustration and confusion.

"I couldn't have saved Pelli even if I tried. What starsight reveals to me is a piece of the future. It cannot be rewritten. I know how you feel, children. I share your pain."

"Will we ever see her again?" they asked.

Soren replied, "Yes, one day far in the future, we shall all meet our loved ones in Glaumora. But that is a long time from now. We must focus on the futures of our living friends for now. That is what Pelli would have wanted for us."

Bell, Blythe, and Bash nodded slowly in halfhearted agreement.

Soren tucked his children into their mossy beds and fell into a fitful sleep. It was wracked with thoughts of the new challenges he would face, from supporting the Tree in the years to come, to taking care of his children, and to prove himself as a worthy king.

As the silver blade of the newing Moon threw its mercury light upon the Tree, its resident owls began rousing themselves from sleep.

Soren had adjourned all chaw classes and training for a week so that the owls could recover from the War. He was heading to the Parliament Hollow to discuss the plans for the coming months.

It was the Time Of The Silver rain, or Spring as The Others called it, and the nice weather helped to ease the shock of the previous conflict and seemed to help the injured owls heal faster.

Soren was first to arrive in the large hollow filled with soft light and the flickering shadows dancing on the walls.

He turned to the Spotted Owl standing next to the entrance and said, "Cleve, would you please fetch the other members of the Parliament?"

"Right away, sir." the Spotted Owl replied, and flew out of the west facing port.

_Such a noble owl, that Cleve. Otulissa sure did pick a fine mate. Who would have thought Otulissa would find love with a gizzard resister!_

As he concluded this thought, he found himself thinking about Pelli. He missed her, yes, but he could not let his sadness overtake him. He had sworn on her pyre he would always cherish her, and do right by her spirit as well.

Just then, several owls lighted down on the bowed birch branch that spanned the hollow.

The new Parliament consisted of Gylfie, Eglantine, Digger, Sylvana, Otulissa, Twilight, Ruby, Lydia, Theodor, and Jonas.

Theodor was a handsome Barn Owl that Soren had seen sister flivling with on many occasions.

Lydia was a graceful Snowy that had been Madame Plonk's first egg. Her resemblance to Barran often gave Soren pause, as he remembered the former monarchs of Ga'Hoole, who had nurtured and trained him back when he first arrived, all those years ago.

And lastly, Jonas was a small but sturdy Whiskered Screech from Ambala that had been a most helpful messenger during the war, when he relayed slipgizzle reports for Coryn regarding Nyra and the state of the hagsfiend destruction plan.

Soren gazed upon the owls perched before him.

"Good evening, Soren." they all hooted in unison.

The king responded, "Good evening to you, all the same. I trust you have all had a good rest?"

"Oh yes, Soren. There is nothing quite like drifting off to sleep in the glow of the rising sun." they replied happily.

"Well then, I have many things I would like to discuss with you regarding our plans for the coming seasons..."

The soft, resolute voice of the Barn Owl threaded through the night, its liquid tone blending with that of the foggy shapes hovering outside the hollow that resembled two Barn Owls.

During his long and drawn out discussion with Parliament that night, the King had put forth several measures to connect the Guardians more wholly with the mainland, and to utilize the recent war to further the training of the owls at home in unison.

Soren had thought of a program in which owls from Ga'Hoole could volunteer to travel to the mainland and construct printing presses in community gathering sites.

The press was a marvelous creation, and allowed for news and stories to spread across the Kingdoms like never before. One had already been built for Bess in the Palace of Mists, along with another for the sages in the Middle Kingdom as well.

The new printing chaw at the Tree was instrumental in developing the press and teaching willing owls the new technology of printing, as opposed to writing. The strategies, speeches, and victims of the War Of The Ember were recorded, and The Evening Hoot had become a weekly staple at the Tree.

Soren had also arranged for language tutors to teach the eager young owls of The Tree Krakish and Jouzhen. An owl could sign up to take one or both, if they wished. Tengshu had agreed to volunteer to teach Jouzhen, and Cleve, Otulissa's mate, had agreed to being the Krakish instructor.

The Three B's had signed up for both languages. Bell and Bash were catching on fairly quickly, but poor Blythe was having some trouble with Krakish.

Other owls could also take a trip to the Brad, and learn by heart all the stories that they wished which possessed value to them, under the guidance of Ezylryb's grandson, Braithe.

Soren had to plan the upcoming Nimsy Night, which would arrive in just one more week. He had planned to make it a special holiday, much more so than in years past, to celebrate this new period of flourishing knowledge and freedom.

_Indeed, the Tree has somehow rendered this joy in physical form upon the large amount of shiny milkberries this year.._. Soren reflected.

As he finished discussing the last bit of business regarding the reinstatement of classes in a few days, he dismissed the Parliament and lofted out of the hollow.

The night was laced with warm, comfortable air, and the stars shone bright. He recognized the shapes of two groups of stars close to each other in the azure sky.

They were organized into two heart shapes, the northern one being slightly wider, while the western heart had a small sprinkling of stars inside it.

Soren knew who they were, and felt his gizzard pulse with joy, as they appeared to be smiling down upon him.

He knew then deep down that his kingship would not be so hard after all, with his mate and nephew greeting him every night from the palace in the stars...


End file.
